What Is Going On With KWSU 1250 AM?
Read
UPDATE 6/3/22: Backup parts engineers installed on June 1st are working and the signal is operating at full power. A new transmitter has been ordered.
The signal that started it all, KWSU 1250 AM, has had it rough lately. And so have the listeners who rely on this service.
The 100 year old signal began having power issues in early May that have persisted for weeks.
Parts for the current transmitter are no longer being made and equivalent parts were very hard to find. Add in shipping delays and that pushed the repairs to the transmitter to June 1st.
June 1st, at 8:00PM, KWSU 1250 AM will be going off the air for several hours as engineers work to repair it.
Capacitors in the KWSU AM transmitter.
Granted, the transmitter is not 100 years old, and it has aged well lasting far beyond it’s expected life span. While parts were in transit, engineers Jim Boothby and Jason Royals kept it on at lower power, installing spare capacitors, triaging other problems and nursing it along until the new replacement parts arrived.
Jim Boothby checking the KWSU 1250 AM transmitter.
The repairs will hopefully put KWSU 1250 AM to full power. If the replacement parts do not work, NWPB will rent an auxiliary transmitter to boost power until the new transmitter arrives. We expect the new transmitter to be delivered 16-20 weeks from now due to distribution issues that every industry is facing.
Thank you for your patience and thanks for listening.
Hannah L. W. Snyder
Radio Operations
Related Stories:
Galardonado actor Adam Beach visita Toppenish
Noviembre es el Mes de la Herencia Nativa Americana. En el centro de Washington, diferentes actos celebran a estas comunidades. El viernes 22 de noviembre, Heritage University recibirá en Toppenish al galardonado actor Adam Beach.
Award-winning actor Adam Beach visits Toppenish
November is Native American Heritage Month. In central Washington, different events celebrate these communities. On Friday, Nov. 22, Heritage University will host the award-winning actor Adam Beach in Toppenish His visit is closing out the university’s events recognizing the Native American communities’ contributions.
Tacoma City Council moves forward with zoning changes
The next phase of Tacoma’s attempts to address housing shortages will soon be implemented, as the Tacoma City Council has voted unanimously to adopt the second phase of the Home in Tacoma zoning package.
The package of changes to city zoning standards aims to create more opportunities for different types of housing across the city, including by allowing more units to be developed on a standard city lot.
